Pneumatic bumper



1,627,472 May 3 1927' E. P. WATSON PNEUMATIC BUMPER Filed Nov. 26, i926- INVENTQR ATr NEY Patenten May 3, 1927.

EDWARD P. WATSON, 0F FLORAL PARK, NEW

PNEUMATIC BUMPER.

Application led November 26, 1926. Serial No. 150,752.

:ik .o i ont on relaties to bumpers and parl'iyl Lo tlt'vlilor; of this tflaSS OI use lll too with motor vehicles; and the obt if ot lne invention i to provide n device ot clos enr-boing nn inflatable body, o' #billy 1n tlft: vient. ot accidents, the shock o il! Ew when np through, 'tho intluted body or Ew :or emilion ,torineti thereby, thns renderv lo;v the device inist ellicient for the purpobe mended; a further object being to provide in t-oo'nnction with the pneumatic or air intlftotl llocly, means for supporting the stime, zo tto. torni of a spring bumper, which will giro Jtrength nml further flexibility lo the entire device; a `till further object being,r to provide a bumper which, by virtue of the cml'ioninj; body employed, will prevent des: nction to other vehicles, especially in the eiont ol slight, occident, wherein it has been experienciietl with the pr V`:enr 'type of binnpers, that the point or l'nneh on the body or tenders of the iehicie strook or engaged. has been min-rml or destroyed; und ith these und other objetos in View, the invention conA siste in a device ol the class und tot the porpoee irpeoilivil. which tsiinple in oonetrnction, elliciont in use. ont Inch is, constructed as hcrcinnl'tci- :le-scribed nznl claimed.

'ille invention lull)` difich'lsed in the tollowing` spemlitntiori, olf which the ucoonn partying tir-.io log! ornn; n port, in which the Sepnrnte parte; ot my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in enth ot the views, :intl in which 5- .Fig 1 is :i plan View of a bumper nitide according to my invention with part o1' the consttnotion broken :muy and in section; and,

Vig. `t-, n r on on the line -i of Fig. 1 on on onlxillgty brillo,

In Fig. l of the drawing, .l have indientetl at 5 the front or rear end portion o the clinseie or 'traine of :i vehicle in Connection with which my improved bumper is mounted. The bumper, in the construction shown. comprises a strong unil durable spring body G of the nsnal or any preferred Slnipe Coni- Inonly employed in spring bumpers now 1n usea und comprisingY n iront portion 7. loop ends 8 and bracket portions il. lt will be understood, at this time.. that any suitable means may be einl'iloti'fetl for snpf'iorting the hotly 6 in connection with the which? i nine.

1n the construction shown. tho front pluto 7 of the body 6 is provided on its opper und lower edges with outwardly tliieeted flanges 10, which extend to the ends of l'he from plate T and forni :i channel 1l in the ontmfuce of Suid platte, in hit'h nn inllntnblc bumper body 1'. is inonntctl. The body l2 i Substantially o n tire or shoe construction` but muy be coimrnotctl in :my tlcrireil nninY Het', und .only bc conipofotl olI robbert ioliitcv compositions, or librom inntcrinl. tho pri mary tlill'eicni'e beine' than. sind boil): is not. circulan' in torni bnt i5 tmlxionetl to tit in thtl channel ll of the front platte i' of the spring nieinber The body 1:2 is prelernblj.' trircnlnr in cross sectionnl lorin ext'cpt tor the enlargement; 125 fasliiomd to llt; in theI elntnnel 1l is cleurlv seen in Fig. 2 of the tirnwinq. The entls it snitl hotly are closed by roinifleil ent! Walls 14 which extend beyond the ends of the from plato 7 ol' the sprin f nieniber 3. nrs clearlv seen in Fig. 1. At tie ends or the botlv li :intl tit the inner sides thoiwwt :mi projeti inn' tongue portions l5 intimi e'i'oiotfr or other reinforcing menno lo., iii oonnt'rtlon with which the hool: end l? of rf l-i :tre mount eil., said rods, beiner im# non in connection with and pinning through the porto ot the .spring member o :intl nijnswl by Winer-ti or other nnte 19 inonntt'tl on thel threnoetl ends 2) of sniti rode to lirnily fnpport the hotly 1i: in connection with the .{n'ing mein` ber ti, it beiner nntleret'flml that the ton uw 15 pue; nronntl the looped tnilnto' the noun ber (i ne elonrly semi in Fig. l.

The inllatnbio bofly "ill in conrlroototl in such :i n'ninncr ne to inninlziin n ,ff tn` 'Lizilly lixetl shape or forni hon inlntetl, :incl also of sullicient, strength :intl 1L.' lli' to withstand the avernge impact in flioieveiit of collisions. "lo nifl in ninntnining the boilv 112 in poeition. ity i nlelorrotl nit linhapeil keepers :2l bo employed nfljnoeeit lie (intl portions of haiti hotly. tho endg ot kfnitlY keen ers being tlncuiled und nzifigitoti to pus-: through plates on tin inner foce of the front. plate 'l of the nicnibor (l. unil rotninctl in position by nuts 23. The L peil hooi) ers 21 nre adapted to ltinh tlnA ootlv 1;) iiiwnrtlly as seen :it 21 in oixler that the onteifnces ol."A said keepers will he `within th(- boundary of the onter faire o't thtbotly 12 in order that said hotly` will tnlie np flirt-cih'. :ill shocks to wliifh the bumper inni' bo mib jected. i

An inflationr nozzlt 25 is mounted central ly of the body 12 and the front plate 'i' of be member 6, :intl ext-ends bnelm'nrflli ln'oooft ion said frontl plate as clearly seen. By means of this nozzle, the body 12 may be infiated and maintained in inflated condition at all times in the same manner as the ination of tires of motor vehicles.

The assemblage of the parts vwill be ap parent from the structure shown and described, it being understood that the body l2 is-lnounted in the channel 11 of the member 6, and the tongues 'l5 are passed around the looped ends 8 and engage the rods 18 which are tightened up by thenuts 19 to securely retain the body 12 in position. The

keepers 2l are mounted in position before' the body l2 is inflated, and if desired, the body 12 may be constructed for shaped to suit the use of said keepers.

It is a -well known fact'that in the use of metallic spring bumpers as are in common use, it is experienced that the bumper of one vehicle will strike a part of another vehicle in slight accidents, sometimes in passing a vehicle, or in trying to curb a vehicle in parking. and .in leaving a congested parking area, which results in slight denting, scratch ing or otherwise marring of such vehicle. It. 1s one of the distinctive features oi my invention to overcome this diiliculty, in the provision of a free. cushioned and non-me taliic body on the face of the bumper, which in the event of such accidents, would not up preciably mar or destroy a vehicle. The outstanding feature oi' my improved bumper, however, that in he impact, the direct, shock is taken up by and through 'the inflated body 12 which would cause a rebound to the progressing vehicle to some appreciable degree, and would be very benelicial. cs pccially in slight imparts, which with the present type of bumper ronstrni-tiou. have. caused damage to vehicles; while my present bumper constitu-tion nui-uid :unid such dain-y agc, or at least reduce the rame to an appreeialile degree.

lt will be understood that my invention may be employed in bunipirs' mounted at the front or rear ol' a vehicle, and may be employed in conniction with bumpers or bumperettes of any shape, form, style or construction, and not necessarily restricted to bumpers extendingr entirely across the vehin cle; and various changes in and modifications ot' the construction herein shown and described, may be made withinthe scope of the appended claims without departin; r from the spirit of my invention, or sacrificing its advantages.

HavingY fully described my invention, what I claim as new and-desire to secure by Letters Patent., is:

1. The combination with u spring bumper` of an inlatablc bolli mounted upon the outer face oll said bumper, said body beingl of greater width anl length than the front plate of said buniptr, means for retaining said body against displacement from said bumper, said means including keepers, and adjustable members coupled with the ends of said body.

2. The combination with a spring bumper, of an inflatable body mounted uion the outer face of said bumper, said body being of greater width and length than the front plate ot' said bumper, means for retaining said body a ainst displacement from said bumper, sai means including,r keepers, adjustable members coupled with the ends of said body, and the inflation valve of said body extendingr through said bumper.

3. In a bumper'of the class described, a bumper member having looped ends7 the outer face of the front.A plate of said mem ber being channeled to receive und support a body of resilient, nonmetallic material in connection therewith.

4. In a bumper of the class described, a bumper member, the outer face of the front -piatc of said member being channeled to reccive and support a body of resilient, nonmetallic material in connection therewith, and means detachably and adjustably coupled with said bumper for retaining said body against displacement therefrom.

5. 1n a bumper of the class described, a. bumper member, the outer face of the front plate of said member being channeled to reeeive and support a body of resilient, nonmetallic material in eomfction therewith. means detachably and adjustably coupled with said bumper for retaining said buoy against displacement therefrom` and keep ers mounted on the front plate of tie bumper and engaging said body to retain the saine :wainst displacement.

(j. ln a umpcr of the class described, a bumper member, the outer `tace of the front plate ot' said member being channeled to rei-eii'e and support a body oi' resilient, nom metallic material in connection therewith, means detaehably and adjusiabiy coupled with said bumper for retaining; said body against displacement therefrom, keepers mounted on the front plate of the bumper and cnirgalginr said body to retain the same against disp acemcnt, and said body being depressed where the keepers cooperate therewith to position the keepers within the boundaries of the outer face of said body.

T. 'l`hc Combination with a spring bumper, of an inflatable body mounted u on the outer face ot' said bumper, said bo y being ot' greater width and length than the front plate ot the bumper, and means involving adjustable members coupled with the ends of said body for retainingr the same against displacement 'from said bumper.

S. The combination with a spring bumper, of an inflatable body mounted non the outer fare ol' said bumper. said bo y beingr of greater width and length than the front tit) plate of said bumper, means for retaining said body against displacement from sai bum er, said means involving keepers and said ody having indentures Where the lieepers cooperate therewith to prevent shifting of said body and to retainthe keepers within the outer face of said body.

9. A bumper body of the class described.'

comprising an elongated tube, the ends of which are closed to form a sealed air chamber therein, an inflationvalve for passing air into and out of said chamber, and the ends of the tube being provided with flat tongue portions by means of which the tube may be retained 1n connection with a snitable support.

l0. A bumper body of the class described comprising an elongated tube, the ends of which are closed to form a sealed air chamber therein, an inflation valve for passing air into and out of said chamber the ends of the tube being provided with fiat tongue portions by means of which the tube may be retained in connection with a suitable support, said tongue portions extending inwardly in substantiall parallel relation to the tube, and the en portions being provided with eyelets9 In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name this 22nd day of November, 1926. f

EDWARD P. WATSON. 

